I was listening to national sports talk radio (sportingnews/espn) this weekend, they were talking about the Lewis/Tyson fight, and a few people called up and said "well I'll be cheering for Tyson or I was cheering for him because he's the American fighter, but I still think he's a jerk". I found that a little strange, that some cheered for Tyson even though they like Lewis as a person, just because of nationality. I would even understand if they like Tyson's basic animal instincts and don't like Lewis pompous attitude, but not getting behind Lewis because he's foreign.

Okay I'll get to the wrestling part...Do you think foreign Faces (mostly Canadian) have a tougher time connecting to an American audience. Does Trish have a tougher time to be the #1 girl if Americans see her little outfit with a mapleleaf on her butt for WM?. Does Edge have to work extra hard because he's Canadian?. Would it be easier on Jericho was announced from New York then from Winnipeg?... To be honest, I don't have the answer, I truly don't think American fans look at Canadian faces and think "I'm not totally gettting behind him/her because s/he's not American" but maybe subconsciously it's easier to get behind your own.

I do not want to sound like Scott Keith here, believe me, lol, not all Canadian wrestlers are great, but just wondering if it's just human nature or national pride to support your own more.

(edited by Net Hack Slasher on 10.6.02 0403)I don't get it, everyone loves rats, but they don't want to drink the rats milk?

I think that nowadays it's not so much of an issue (the utterly American babyface Angle was a flop after all), it was more 15 years ago when foreign heel (who usually wasn't actually foreign) vs American saviour would draw. Maybe Hogan-Slaughter really turned everyone off that sort of thing finally, after the tasteless Iraqi war gimmick back at the time of the Gulf war.

Regarding Tyson specifically, it depressed me more that anyone would cheer on a convicted rapist for any reason at all. How everyone turns around and forgives someone like that purely on the basis that they're a celebrity, is beyond me. Well, money makes the world go round I guess. I wonder how long it is until R Kelly's next album comes out?

"Nobody enjoys a good time more than I do, but this business of yours is as legitimate as a three-legged donkey...which of course is illegitimate because as we all know donkeys have four legs."

I'm a very patriotic person,but I'm not gonna root against a wrestler because of what country they're from.

I'm a huge Benoit,Jericho,Storm and Edge mark.I was a huge Owen and Bret mark.Hell,If Benoit came out tommorow night wearing tights with a huge mapleleaf on them,I couldn't care less,It's about what they in the ring and on the mike,not what country there from.

Look at Trish(ok not too long),I believe she's the saviour of the almost non-existent WWE Women's Divison.

I have no reason to hold any grudge against anyone from any country,I did have a little one during the Olympic hockey gold medal game but after it,I was fine.

I don't think foreign faces have a rough time having American fans,It's only the stupid American's who view it like that way.

"Calvary's here;calvary's a frightened guy with a rock, but it's here"

I think as long as the wrestlers don't flaunt their nationality, they can get by fine, if that's their intention. Of course, on the flip side, wrestlers can always get booed by flaunting their nationality or putting down Americans. Trish wearing a maple leaf at Wrestlemania isn't major, but if Trish came down to the ring in the States and said in an interview "I'm proud to be a Canadian!" then there'd likely be a bit more of a mixed reaction, as people in the crowd would wonder if that means she's proud not to be American. And of course, guys like Edge and Christian in their heel days would occasionally flaunt their Canadian-ness to draw boos. As long as it's not shoved down people's throats, though, I don't think it becomes a problem.. the memories of wrestling fans is usually short. When most fans look at Edge now, they see the wiseass guy who makes fun of Kurt Angle, not the guy who mocked whatever state they're from by dressing as Elvis or re-enacting sports team bloopers or playing in a jug band. It's the same way with their home country, as long as they don't flaunt it people will happily ignore it, even if they're announced as hailing from there every time they come out.

Trish wore the canadian shorts in canada, so it wasn't a big deal.If she would do so weeks in a row in the US, it might be noticed but still not enough to make her less over. Just because she is a face. Same with Edge, Bret, Tito Santana (hailing from..) and the Bulldogs who wore the flags and all..

However, the moment you are a heel and you are from another country/region you mention that.You know...the 'I am so happy I am not american' kinda deal.Then again, the heel also has to bash his own country/town when they are there. (goes for american heels too btw)'Worse than being an american (pop) is being west-canadian (boos)''I was born in Toronto, and I left as soon as possible'

Fuji, Yoko all were heels and they used their country (or make believe country) to get heat.In short, if the gimmick allows for some good old USA bashing it will be used as the folks will rally behind the american boy right away.

Anyways, people that actually really really cared about Tyson vs Lewis must be people that actually care about where someone hails from..

(edited by dMp on 10.6.02 1437)"...And I use that to fuck them some place fairly uncomfortable.""What, like the back of a volkswagen ?"-Mallrats

I thought it was stupid to cheer Tyson just because he's an American. The people who I saw interviewed said they were cheering for Tyson based on the fact he was an American and then added he was a prick.

Onto the wrestling side, Trish got a huge pop at WM for the mapleleaf. When she was on RAW in Edmonton she got an huge pop for the "100% Stratusfaction, 100% Canadian" shirt. Benoit had a HUGE pop because he returned in his home town (I was there and it was the loudest pop I've ever heard at a live televised event). Sure, he would have had a pop if he was somewhere in America but just because he was in Canada alone, the pop was 10 times louder than it probably would have been. The "Benoit, Benoit, Benoit" chant went for two minutes straight. If you're a Canadian face, flaunt when you're in Canada. The WWE isn't in Canada that much and by bearing a flag or wearing the home teams jersey gets you a much louder response. Of course if you're a heel flaunt the fact that you're not American to an American crowd. Lance Storm's promo in Calgary was brillant.

"It's worse than being American (BIG pop). I'm western Canadian (Huge heat)."

I myself was very, very pleased when Lennox beat that bloody toerag within an inch of his life.

And I'm an American. LOL...

Do not try and besmirch Lennox Lewis!

Ahem. If I can be serious for a minute...

The reason I don't root for Tyson or even tolerate him on my television screen was the exact same reason mentioned at the top of the thread. Dude is a convicted rapist. He also attacked a referee, and bit off part of Evander Holyfield's ear. The man's a monster, and if you ask me, he should have spent a lot more time in prison than he did. And there's no way he ever should've gotten another shot at the World Heavyweight Title. Goes to show you how pathetic boxing is.

“What's so great about crack?”“Uh, uh, it enhances your personality.”“Yes, but what if you're an asshole?”